biden really is that. >> joe biden is. and joe biden's excesses of being a people person and gregarious and enormously approachable, have been very important to this administration and to what david pointed out what happened, particularly in the last couple of months. briefly, we always here this is the most important vice president in the history of the world. how does he rank as vice presidents go? >> he actually just may be -- this may be one of the rare occasions where the superlative applies. we heard it about dick cheney in a different way. cheney, you had a sense -- cheney was in many ways provided the intellectual framework particularly for a lot of bush foreign policy. vice president biden used the senate and the relationships there and his practical skills has been invaluable in terms of promoting the agenda. >> now we have the marine band about to introduce the vice president of the united states. >> announcer: ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the united states, joseph r. biden, accompanied by inaugur